I’m a bit of a ‘wh&%$’ when it comes to free

Each July, I spend a good week tromping around town for my birthday-related freebies. Lunch at Red Robin, mascara at Sephora, a cone from Cold Stone Creamery and dinner at Villa Valenti without opening my wallet? Yes, please.

We are a culture of free-loving mongrels. A Facebook page for lovers of free goodies has nearly 46,000 fans, and according to ChiefMarketer.com, 2010 and beyond is likely to be the era of free stuff. The Internet-based trade publication found in its 2010 prospecting survey that 88 percent of consumers want gifts, 93 percent want free shipping, and nearly 95 percent crave free content such as webinars and ebooks.

When we’re talking about free-seekers, we can’t forget the people who stand in line for an hour — or more — to score a free scoop of New York Super Fudge Chunk from Ben & Jerry’s on Free Cone Day (that’s in April, if you’re interested) and camp out at Fresh Market to walk away with a free reusable bag — one they could buy a few days later for about a buck, no lines, no waiting.

Time, you see, is worth something. It just depends on the price tag you put on your minutes.

I, for one, will waste my miles zipping around town, but I won’t wait an hour — or even 15 minutes — for a free chicken burrito with a side of guac from Chipotle on Monday, when they celebrate the opening of their new Stuyvesant Plaza location by filling potential customers’ bellies with free Mexican grub.

A coupon for a promotion that lasts a few days, though? Now you’re talking.

As a society, the word “free” lures us like a sparkling pool on an August afternoon.

“Free” is one of the most powerful emotional-marketing words that can be used in advertising because it has a great deal of symbolic meaning to consumers, says Gary Kaskowitz. a marketing professor at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Penn.

He must be right. My mother, who donates most of the items she gets to her church, would take a jock strap if it were free.

While some people suggest the love of all things free can be attributed to the economy, the marketing professor credits general consumer psychology.

The use of “free” in advertising has been around for at least 75 years, he says. Copywriters throughout marketing history have tried different words and phrases to see which ones pull better, and this word has always made it to the top of the list, he says. So those restaurants and others you see giving away “free” samples are merely doing it because everyone has always done it that way.

Samples are some of the most popular free things on the market, especially when we’re talking low-involvement decisions, says Kaskowitz. These types of decisions are ones that consumers do not spend a great deal of mental energy thinking about (picking up a tube of toothpaste, sampling products at your local Sam’s Club, or trying out a restaurant because you’re in a new town and hungry).

Some detractors will pull out the cliche of “there is no such thing as a free lunch,” but I’m not buying it (literally). At BJ’s Warehouse during lunch, I can eat my way around the store, savoring tiny bagel pizzas, chicken wings and broccoli in cheese sauce. Walking and noshing means I didn’t waste any time, and I can, theoretically, leave the store without buying anything.

Would I go there just for a free lunch? No. But the point is that it’s possible.

Unfortunately for businesses, a free product or service most likely won’t get someone to become a lifelong customer, says Kaskowitz. At best, “free” gets your foot in the door. But once a business has gotten a consumer to try it out, they have to deliver or the consumer will surely move onto the next “free” trial.

I agree.

If Juicy Burger sent out birthday coupons instead of Red Robin, I’d be saying “Red Robin, who?” faster than you can polish off an order of their tasty garlic fries.

Ashlee, I am a Beauty Insider (a free program that they have at Sephora) and you get a free goodie each year on your birthday. I’ve received lip glosses, lotion, mascara, etc. It depends on the promotion they’re running at the time.

I love a bargain, and free is obviously the ultimate. On the flip side, I agree that my time is worth something, and so is my sanity. I would have to sacrifice both to wait on some “free” lines, so I take a pass. I’ll also pay for convenience when necessary (example: I’ll pay the premium to purchase an item at a CVS to avoid a long line at a Walmart if time is critical.)

As for birthday freebies, don’t forget your free boot at Wolff’s or your free gigunda margariata at Bomber’s or your free cone at Stewart’s. Umm….I think that’s it, for now.
FYI: When it comes to the boot, though, be sure to bring $40 in cash, as you have to give it to the bar as a deposit. You get the money back when you return the boot.

Moe’s gives you a free burrito on your birthday if you sign up for their email newsletter as well. They give you a week span or something to redeem it and you just print it from the email they send you. They’re pretty liberal about it; last year I printed 2 and went to the one on Western and the one on Wolf road!

wow thanks for the tip about moes, just signed up. my bday’s in a couple weeks so hopefully they send me a free burrito – yum!
i’m on the mailing list for peaches cafe & they send a coupon for a free dessert for your birthday. i’m already in sephora’s insider club & this year my bday gift was a a grey shadow/liner & black mascara combo set, sephora brand, but still pretty nice.

Dunkin’ Donuts has a free program called Dunkin’ Donuts Perks where once a month members receive a coupon for a free medium beverage of their choice. I signed up but I don’t necessarily like any of the drinks that the company specially makes (coffee, iced tea, coolattas, etc.) so I give them to my parents or my brothers. My sister already signed herself up but sometimes I give her my coupon because she is literally OBESSED with strawberry coolattas. It is RIDICULOUS!!! :(

Forgot to mention in my other comment something about another free thing… Ben & Jerry’s has a program called ChunkMail where once a month (i just signed up but I’ve only received 1 coupon that expired earlier this month that I used so I’m pretty sure it’s once a month) ChunkMail subscribers receive a coupon via email for a free single scoop of ice cream at a Ben and Jerry’s near you. You have to choose a Ben and Jerry’s location before you sign up (for me, it is the Lark Street one). The lady that was there when I got my free dish gave me more than 1 scoop! YAY!!! :) :D

omg Kristi this post has “me” written all over it! My boyfriend literally shakes his head now because whenever we go out, virtually anywhere we go, I whip out my about-to-bust-open-ala-George Costanza wallet for my loyalty/saver/member card so I can earn free stuff! I have so many cards…it’s literally weighs my bag down. But I can’t seem to part with any of them, on the off chance I might be in that store/restaurant & spend money!

I am a member of Sephora…is the free birthday item a coupon? Do they mail/email it to you, or do you just show up there on your bday? Somehow I’ve let that one slip by (gasp!) Not next year!

Right now I am all over Price Choppers gas discount. I’ve gone so far as to buy gift cards for any other stores/restaurants I’m planning on going to at Price Chopper, so I earn the points towards gas! Amazing how quickly you can save a bundle!